PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui said on Saturday that his party has no objection if Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) initiates talks with the establishment, adding that the party should come up with a clear agenda and engage politically instead of seeking backdoor deals.
Speaking to SAMAA TV, Mr Siddiqui said, “PTI’s hands have been bruised from knocking at the establishment’s door. If the establishment is not responding to them, what do they expect us to do?”
He reiterated the Pakistan Army’s stated position that it does not involve itself in political dialogue. “The military has made it clear that political negotiations are not part of its mandate,” he said.
Referring to PTI founder Imran Khan’s reported desire to hold direct talks with the establishment, Siddiqui said PML-N would not oppose such a move. “If PTI opens its door for talks with the establishment, we have no objection,” he said.
However, the senator questioned PTI’s approach, stating that it was inconsistent and lacked clarity. “Since when has the PTI founder been sitting at the military’s doorstep?” Siddiqui asked. “If they don’t want any deals or concessions, then why are they waiting there?”
Siddiqui also criticized PTI’s current political direction, calling it disoriented and leaderless. “PTI is a defeated army that has no future plan. They don’t know what to do next,” he remarked.
The PML-N leader further added that any political resolution must come through collective dialogue among all political stakeholders. “PTI should remember that whenever politicians found solutions in the past, they did so together,” he stressed.
He advised the former ruling party to chart out a clear political policy, agree on a comprehensive agenda, and approach the government for formal talks. “The PTI founder chose his own path, and he is now facing its consequences,” Siddiqui concluded.
